This invention relates to the hydroprocessing of heavy oils and more particularly to the hydroprocessing of heavy oils in the presence of particulate solids. According to this invention, heavy hydrocarbonaceous oils are hydroprocessed to achieve a normally liquid product having one or more of (a) a reduced average molecular weight, (b) a reduced sulfur content, (c) a reduced nitrogen content, and (d) a reduced content of soluble metals contaminants (Ni, V, and Fe).
A variety of heavy oil processing techniques which involve the addition of solids have been reported. U.S. Pat. No. 2,462,891 discloses the treatment of an oil with inert fluidized heat transfer solids followed by solids separation and further treatment in the presence of a fluidized catalyst. U.S. Pat. No. 3,331,769 discloses the addition of soluble decomposable organometallic compounds to a feedstock prior to contacting with a supported particulate catalyst. U.S. Pat. No. 3,635,943 discloses hydrotreating oils in the presence of both a fine catalyst and a coarse catalyst. Canadian Pat. Nos. 1,073,389 and 1,076,983 disclose the use of particles such as coal for treatment of heavy oils. U.S. Pat. No. 3,583,900 discloses a coal liquefaction process which can employ dispersed catalysts and downstream catalytic refining. U.S. Pat. No. 4,018,663 discloses two-stage coal liquefaction involving noncatalytic contact particles in a dissolution stage. U.S. Pat. No. 3,707,461 describes the use of coal derived ash as a hydrocracking catalyst. U.S. Pat. No. 4,169,041 discloses a coking process employing a finely divided catalyst and the recycle of coke. U.S. Pat. No. 4,066,530 discloses the addition of a solid iron-containing species and a catalyst precursor to a heavy oil and U.S. Pat. No. 4,172,814 discloses the use of an emulsion catalyst for conversion of ash-containing coals. Heretofore, however, it has not been recognized that finely divided catalysts interact synergistically with porous contact particles in the hydrogenation of heavy oils.